


Consent

by GoddessofBirth



Series: Broken!verse [2]
Category: Firefly
Genre: Angst, F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-12
Updated: 2012-05-12
Packaged: 2017-11-05 06:17:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/403305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoddessofBirth/pseuds/GoddessofBirth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are many different forms of consent; some matter more than others.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Consent

**Author's Note:**

> Prequel to 'Broken'. Takes place probably 7 - 10 years prior.

Jayne stuck his head inside the infirmary door. 'Doc?'

 

Simon looked up from where he was scrubbing repeatedly at the same spot in the already clean infirmary. He and Kaylee had had another fight, and he'd retreated here, to the one place he felt most in control, to try and put himself back in order.

 

'Jayne. Please, come in.'

 

Jayne slunk in through the door and leaned back against the counter opposite Simon. He had his mother's hat in his hand and he was turning it over and over again. He didn't say anything, and finally Simon prompted him.

 

'Did you need something?'

 

Jayne cleared his throat. 'Yer sis...she's been doin' pretty good last couple days, huh?'

 

Simon nodded. 'It's been a good week for her. Thank you for taking her with you to pick up supplies. I could tell she really enjoyed herself.'

 

'Yeah, well, she ain't half bad company.' He glanced down at his boots and when he looked back up, his stare was focused to the wall just right of Simon's head. 'She, ah, she had lots of boys buzzin' round 'er. Reckon she'll have one or two callin' on 'er before too long.'

 

Simon carefully put his rag down and studied Jayne for a long minute before speaking. 'I don't think that's going to happen. She may have a few lucid days every so often, but even then, her mind...it's just not cognizant enough of reality to understand if she's saying yes or no. As much as I would prefer otherwise, she's simply not not able to give meaningful consent to anything like that.'

 

Jayne's smile was tight. 'Yeah. Yeah, that's what I thought, too.' He pushed himself off the counter and walked out. Simon stopped him at the door.

 

'Jayne?'

 

He turned his head. 'Yeah, Doc?'

 

'You do know that if I can just find a way, if I can somehow figure out the right combination of therapies, I wouldn't have a problem with it. If you came calling on her, that is.'

 

Jayne swallowed and looked intently at his hand on the door frame. 'It ain't likely though, is it? Not with pieces of her cut out an' all.'

 

Simon wished he could answer differently. 'I'm sorry. No. Probably not.'

 

Jayne nodded sharply. 'Thanks, Doc.'

 

He closed the door behind him and started up the stairs, almost running into Kaylee. Her eyes and nose were red. He hesitantly touched her shoulder. 'You okay?'

 

'I'm fine. Me an' Simon just had another fight s'all. Nothin' new.' She smiled ruefully. 'I'm goin' to try an' make up.' She peered back at him. 'How 'bout you?'

 

'Good as always, Kay. Think I'm gonna go lift some.' Or shoot somebody.

 

A shrill scream broke the relative silence of the cargo bay, followed by Mal's voice.

 

'Doc!'

 

Simon came running through the doorway, black bag in hand. He pushed past them on his way up the stairs, muttering under his breath, 'So much for the good days.'

 

* * * * * * * *


End file.
